Copywriting and Content Marketing…One and the same?

A lot is being said about the importance of content marketing as part of a business’s profiling strategy.

So does that just mean copywriting with a new suit? Not quite.

They have similarities, and together achieve a great deal, but you do need to differentiate what you’re asking for if you think you plan on shopping for help with your copywriting or your content marketing.

Copywriting has a very deliberate intention, with an underlying ‘call to action’. You’re writing to get someone to make a purchasing or engagement decision. So, naturally, copywriting is targeted, decisive and stimulating.

It fits in materials like brochures, newsletters, advertising matter. Content marketing, meanwhile, is useful creative matter which engages and encourages your audience, while delivering a voice for your brand.

Content marketing sits in blogs, influencer material, online campaigns. While you’re trying to ultimately achieve sales, as with copywriting, your content marketing is a little more about rapport and credibility building.

So are they wholly independent of one another? Absolutely not!

You can engage the world’s greatest copywriter to work on your behalf, but if they’re writing about the wrong content or their tone of voice is targeted to the wrong audience – then your chance of enhancing SEO and capturing more sales is very limited.

Imagine asking William Shakespeare to write a children’s short story, in his period style, for today’s four-year-old. He wouldn’t be any less of a writer, but the tone of voice would be entirely wrong for your intended audience and undoubtedly switch them off.

Good copywriters need good subject matter to work with, and the ability to produce material so pertinent and readable that you’re almost afraid to be giving something so precious away for free! Meanwhile, good content marketing only happens where the material is incredible well written.

This means, your copywriting tactics need to be about ensuring you’re producing readable articles, with catch headlines, wit or wisdom, occasional controversy perhaps, and always a call to action.

If you’d like to know more about my content marketing or copywriting provision, drop me an email to hello@deborahwatson.co.uk